1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mark cutting apparatus for cutting out marks, such as patterns, designs, numbers, or the like to be applied to uniforms, clothes, or other garments, from a mark sheet of fabric, and a method of controlling such a mark cutting apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional mark cutting apparatus have a thermal cutter vertically movable by a solenoid-operated actuator between an upper position in which the thermal cutter is lifted off a mark sheet supported on a base and a lower position in which the thermal cutter is lowered in contact with the mark sheet supported on the base. When the solenoid-operated actuator is operated, it produces noise that disturbs the operator and makes the working environment worse. Since the thermal cutter is abruptly lowered into hitting engagement with the mark sheet by the solenoid-operated actuator, the cutting bit of the thermal cutter tends to be damaged in repeated use.
The thermal cutter includes a heater attached to a cutter base, and the cutting bit, which is usually made of copper, is mounted on the distal end of the heater. The cutting bit is securely attached to the cutter base by a protective pipe of stainless steel that engages the cutter base and the cutting bit. When the heater is energized to heat the cutting bit, the protective pipe and the cutting bit are subjected to large stresses due to thermal expansion. Therefore, the protective pipe tends to buckle, and the cutting bit is liable to work loose when it is repeatedly heated and cooled.
In some mark cutting apparatus, a laser beam is used to cut marks out of a mark sheet or mark sheets. In order to determine the size of marks to be cut out, the marks are illuminated by light emitted from a light-emitting device. However, the mark cutting apparatus with such a light-emitting device are relatively large in size.
Since mark patterns are cut out of a mark sheet, it has been customary to limit the size of ranges in which mark patterns are to be cut out from a mark sheet, within a certain range. It is necessary to confirm a range for selected mark patterns, and select mark patterns with respect to each mark sheet. When a number of mark patterns are selected and entered, they will have to be cut out of a plurality of mark sheets. Since the selected mark patterns are entered into the apparatus with respect to each sheet, the process of entering the selected mark patterns is complex and time-consuming, and often induces errors.
Sometimes, numerals representing a number or numbers are cut as marks out of a mark sheet. When such a number or numbers are selected and entered, ten numeric keys are operated on repeatedly. After the number or numbers have been selected and entered, they are successively displayed on a display screen. When more numbers are selected and entered, the ten numeric keys are more frequently pressed. Therefore, it has been tedious and time-consuming to select and enter many numbers.
If numbers ranging from "10" to "14" for example, are selected and entered, then mark numerals that are actually cut out of a mark sheet are made up from a combination of mark single digit numerals ranging from "0" to "9". Thus, one mark numeral "0", five mark numerals "1" one mark numeral "2" one mark numeral "3" and one mark numeral "4" are actually cut out of a mark sheet.
With the conventional mark cutting apparatus, however, the numbers ranging from "10" to "14" are simply successively displayed on the display screen. The operator cannot recognize, at a glance, the actual counts of mark numerals to be cut out of a mark sheet, and hence has difficulty confirming those counts. In addition, the operator has been unable to obtain quick basic data for an efficient process of cutting desired mark numerals out of a mark sheet or sheets without a wasteful consumption of mark sheets.
Heretofore, the thermal cutter has been periodically cleaned based on a visual inspection by the operator. When the thermal cutter is to be cleaned, the apparatus has to be shut off, but such an apparatus shutdown results in an inefficient operation. The operator is also required to visually check the marks as they are cut out so that they are not smeared by deposits on the thermal cutter. Further, when the thermal cutter is cleaned, provisions should be taken to ensure safety due to the heat of the thermal cutter.
In the conventional mark cutting apparatus, the thermal cutter cuts out marks out of a mark sheet, moves in contact with the cutter cleaner, and moves to a position to start cutting marks out of a mark sheet, all at the same speed. The speed at which the thermal cutter moves in contact with the cutter cleaner, and also the speed at which the thermal cutter moves to the position to start cutting marks out of a mark sheet, is relatively slow, and makes the entire mark cutting process inefficient.